UEFA Champions League 2018/19 – Here We Go Again!

As Liverpool get ready to embark on their 2nd Champions League campaign under Klopp, I got the theme song playing on the way back from office. All the excitement of playing one of the best teams in world football, taking on one of the best attacking trios in Europe and of course, a European Night at Anfield are the stuff I live for as a Reds supporter.

However, as the song played on, it just struck me that I have not addressed that night in Kyiv. Memories of Salah in tears came rushing back, the disbelief on seeing Karius’ unfortunate errors, the stoking of hope after Mane’s goal and the feeling of sadness at the end. Sadness not because we lost – that Bale goal deserved to win any match, instead, sadness on the thought of what if.

Unfortunately, we will never get to know what would have happened but the end result is a loss and that is the end of it. While the memory of that night is like twilight, that run into the final are bright as day. Chamberlain’s stunner against City at Anfield, the euphoria when Salah equalized at the Etihad, the stunning first-half onslaught against AS Roma at Anfield and the joy on holding on at Rome are all as fresh as ever.

The wait for a league title definitely is longer than it should be. However, I grew up watching the aura of Liverpool in Europe in the late 2000s – doing the impossible, being the impossible. Those European nights made me believe, made me fall in love with the Liverpool way of life and I have longed for them for the better part of this decade.

The league campaign will resume again this weekend. However, before that, the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani are set to turn up at Anfield. The Reds, led by Jurgen Klopp will be ready. We, the supporters across the world, will be ready too.

As the song ends for the umpteenth time, as the goosebumps go on high alert, I am ready for another rollercoaster European ride. After all, these nights played their part in building the aura behind the greatest English club in Europe. So, let’s go again, no matter whatever is in store!